Method of splicing rubber thread



April 14, 1942. J. F. CAVANAGH r 300 METHOD OF. SPLICING RUBBER THREAD Filed Oct. 16, 19.41

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UNITED STATES PATE NT dOFFl-QE Ms rnonos srucnvo wanna 'rnnssn 1 g John F; Cavanagh, Providence, n.1, g Application October is, weasel-nu No. 415,271 r a claim. (Cl. zs-n .f.

This invention relates to the splicing, as opposed to knotting, of single strands of rubber known to the trade as rubber thread. .The knotting of rubber thread is highly objectionable-in asmuch as the knot acts as a slub in passing through guides and needle hooks and further more, in most instances, shows up as an imperfection in finished fabrics.

One of the objects of this invention is to effect a union of rubber strand ends which will be sufficiently strong so that these ends will not pull apart as elongation of the yarn occurs.

Another object of the invention is to join the ends without producing anobstruction to the functioning of the rubber yarn in. fabrication mechanisms in which the yarn may be used.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a simple methodof procedure for attaching together the ends of rubber thread.

A further object of the invention is to secure the ends of rubber thread by the wrapping of an adhesive material about the ends thereof.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of procedure, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective view of two ends of rubber thread Joined together in accordance with my improved method.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a carrier for a binding film with two ends positioned for wrappin of the binding film thereabout.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view illustrating the binding strip as partially rolled about'the overlapped thread ends.

athinadhesivefilm' about the ends ln'SuCh a manner that the ends are reduced and'in thev finished product no detrimental enlargement of Fig. 4 is a sectional view illustrating the complete wrapping.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but shows the thread ends positioned in a different relation than shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 illustrates the commencement of the wrapping of the binding strip about the thread ends in their relation shown mm. 5.

Up to the advent of my present invention I knew of no good practical way to join severed rubber thread or strand ends to ether without knotting them, thus producing by such knotting an enlargement at the point of union which will prevent the thread from passing freely through guides, needle eyes or hooks in which it is used for the formation of fabric. In order that the the joined ends occurs, thus permitting the thread to be used in'the usual manner for fabrication and providing a junction which is'indistinguishable in the finished fabric; and the followin'g'is a more detailed description 'of the presentem bodiment of this invention, illustratingthe preferred procedure by which these advantageous results maybeaccomplished: 7

With reference tothe drawing, ll designates one thread end and II another thread end portion both of rubber which I desire to splice together. The mechanism which I have found most useful for accomplishing this result is described in detail in my copending application Ser. No. 364,405, filed November '5, 1940, wherein'l'have claimed the apparatus for accomplishing the result here attained. The steps, however, which are performed by this apparatus are unique and I have illustrated sufficient of the method performed in this drawing for a complete understanding of the steps of procedure which I have taken to accomplish the desired result.

In Fig. 2 a carrier of some material. such, forinstance, as highly polished Celluloid, designated I! has mounted thereon a thin film ii of unvulcanized adhesive rubber orrubber which has been only partially vulcanized. The inherent adhesiveness of this material causes it to stick to y the carrier i2 and. extend along its surface. The ends II and II of the rubber threads I! and II are positioned in contact with each other and with'this adhesive film l3 andin overlapped re lation as shown in Fig. -2 and then some fiat surface li ensasesthese threads and by relative movement to the carrier l2 and its backing-up support rolls the threads II and II so as to wrap the adhesive film "about the threads. This rolling of the threads in this manner serves to tear the adhesive film which is of very thin character and sticks to thethread from the body portion ll of the film to provide the inner edge-l9 ofthe wrapping such as illustrated in Fig. 3. The rolling of the threads together in this man-' ner upwardly as shown by the arrow' 2| in Fig. 3 completes the wrapping with the end edge 2! spirally coiled about the wrapping as shown in Fig. 4 for the completion of the wrap designated generally in Figs..1 and 4.

ends of such rubber or elastic yarn may be joined In some cases instead of overlapping the ends I4 and I5 I have shown in Fig. 5 theseends positioned in an abutting relation and by engagement with the threads in this abutting relation and a mung as heretofore described a wrappin win commenceat its inner edge 8' (see Fig. 6) and will be completed bythe" spiral coiling 'oi the film so that the same will be disposed asheretofore indicated in Fig; 4. I a

This film is may be deposited on the Celluloid 'in liquid form from which the solvent evaporates leaving a very thin film on the Celluloid or guide apr on or carrier for manipulation as above indicated. l'he film is sufilciently strong that when wound once or more times about the ends oi the rubber thread will serve to'bindthe film into firm contact witheach oi the ends or the thread'and securejthe.th'read ends together whether they be overlapped and compressedor whetherthey beleft in substantially their full and abutted and'wrapped inthis-mam' ner.

By thisarrangement yarn ends are spliced w gether so, as not to materially enlarge their di-- meter and thus permit the thread'to be used in machines and through openings the same manner as were the-thread extruded in its orig- 1. mam-w nes; rubber threadwhich consists in wrappingathin film of adhesive imaterlfl about nd o t n -50 t e while m t i the wrappin the same film shape attire-end 0t wrapping as at the beginningoithewrapping;

a 2, 'I'hemethod oi rubber thread which consists in wrapping athin film of rubber about the adjacent end portlonsoi the thread, while maintaining the wrapping the same film shape at tbe'end of thewrapping as atthe beginning of while the wrapping the samefilmshape at theend oi the wrapping as at the beginning oi the wrapping.

' 4. The method'oi splicing rubber thread which consists in wrapping a thin filmbi rubber about overlapped end portions '01 the thread, while maintaining the wrapping the same, film shape 1 at theend oIthe-wrapping as at the beginning of the wrapping 5. The methodoi splicing rubber thread which consists in overlapping the'end portions of the thread in be spliced and rolling the overlapped ends along an apron having thereon a thin film "of adhesive rubber-to wrap the film about the overlapped rubber ends, while maintaining the wrapping'the same film shape at the: end of the wrappingu atthe beginning of thewrapping.

6. Themethod oi'splicing' rubber thread which 1 consistsin wrapping-a thin film of rubber about i 7.- 'I'he method oisplicing rubber thread theabutted endportions oi" the threads to be spliced, while maintaining the wrapping the same film shape at the end of the wrapping as atthe beginning ofthewrapping.

consists 1n positioning the thread ends gin abutting relation on a thinfilm 0! rubber and roliinl the ends tqwrap thefilm about the abutted'ends for the thread, while maintaining the wrapping the shape atthe end of wrapping as at the 'beginning'oi thewrapping.

8. The method-oi splicing rubber thread which consists ihpositioning the thread ends in abuti 3.".l'he method alalcagmbmmmwmeh eons'i'sts'i'n wrapping a thin film of adhesive ma-.

about overlapped end portions of the ting relation on'a thin film oi rubber and compressing and rolling the ends to wrap thelfilm about the abiitted. ends of the thread, while maintaining the 'wrapping the same: film shape at; the end oi thefwrapping as atthebeginning which, 

